


Birthday Girl

by writetherest



Category: The Office (US)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-12
Updated: 2013-08-12
Packaged: 2017-12-23 06:43:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/923202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writetherest/pseuds/writetherest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I just can't believe you actually forgot. How could you forget? You're her <i>mother</i>, Jan!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birthday Girl

It was a Saturday morning and Jan was out running errands when her phone rang. The caller ID flashed "home" and Jan felt the excited butterflies she always got upon seeing that start to flutter as she flipped open the phone. "Hi, Michael."

"Hey Buttercup," his grin was obvious, even over the phone, "where are you?"

"Just finishing running some errands. I'll be home soon."

"Good. Good. After all, today is a special day."

There was a pause as Jan mentally flipped through her date book, trying to place the date. "It is?" she asked when nothing came to her.

Michael chuckled. "Good one, Jan. Of course it's a special day. It's not every day Lucy turns one."

Jan's eyes went wide as she realized that she had completely forgotten. 

"So did you wish her a happy birthday this morning?"

"Um… she was still asleep when I left so…"

Michael heard something in her voice. "You forgot, didn't you?"

"What? No, I did not for-"

"Jan! I can't believe you forgot!" His voice was accusing.

"Oh Michael, really. I'll wish her a happy birthday when I get home. It's not a big deal."

"Not a big – not a big deal?!" 

Jan tried to be logical. "It's not like she's going to remember, or even realize. She was still asleep when I left. She's not even going to know it's her birthday." Michael was silent. "Michael?"

"I just can't believe you actually forgot. How could you forget? You're her _mother_ , Jan!"

"Michael."

"If you don't remember her birthday, who will?"

"Michael, please."

"Do you even love her at all, Jan?"

"Michael," she sighed.

"You know what, Jan, I have to go. Maybe you don't want to celebrate Lucy's birthday, but Jim and Pam and I do."

"Wait, Jim and Pam are there?"

"Not yet, but they will be soon. They wanted to celebrate this special day with us."

"Michael."

"We're going to take pictures of us celebrating. And you'll just have to explain to her when she's older why you aren't in any of the pictures."

"Michael, she's never going to –"

"And we're going to give her chocolate cake, if you'd care to show up for that."

Jan pinched the bridge of her nose. "Michael, you cannot give Lucy chocolate cake."

"It's her birthday and I'll give her want she wants."

"And she told you she wants chocolate cake?"

"Yes."

"Michael, she can't talk. And you can't give her chocolate cake. She'll get sick."

"Then I'll take care of her, because _I_ love her."

"Oh, Michael, for goodness sake."

"She deserves the best birthday possible. She's a human being too!"

Jan sighed. "No, Michael, she's not."

And for the first time in their relationship, Michael hung up on Jan.

~ * ~

It was about half an hour later when Jan arrived home. She juggled the bags she was carrying and pushed the door open, walking in and looking around for Michael. She put the bags down by the door and softly called his name. "Michael?"

When he didn't answer, she moved toward the living room, and sure enough there he was, sitting on the couch, watching television, with Lucy lying in his lap. She leaned against the door frame and softly said, "Hey."

Michael glanced over at her and Lucy lifted her head from his lap as well. He didn't speak to her though, and Lucy lowered her head back down to his lap. Jan let out a sigh and moved into the living room to stand in front of the television. "Michael," she called his name, but he still refused to look at her.

Lucy, however, perked up and let a small yelp out. "Hey Luce. Happy birthday," she moved over between the coffee table and the couch and stroked the Golden Retriever's head. Lucy let out another yelp and began to lick at Jan's hand. Jan smiled at the dog and then at Michael, but he was still trying to ignore her.

"Michael," she sighed, sitting down on the coffee table so that their knees touched, "you can't stay mad at me if Lucy's not mad at me."

Michael and Lucy both looked at her, and she was struck once again by just how much Michael's eyes could look like a puppy's when he was upset. "Wanna bet?"

"Michael, please don't be angry with me. I'm sorry that I forgot it was Lucy's birthday, okay? But you have to understand… I never had pets growing up as a kid. Lucy's my first pet, besides a couple fish my roommate in college had. And those… well, we ended up flushing them after she left them in my care for a weekend so… we never celebrated their birthdays because I don't think they lived a whole year. So I didn't know it was a big deal to celebrate a dog's birthday."

"Of course it's a big deal, Jan! Not only is it her first birthday, but she's seven in dog years. So, it's like, seven birthdays in one."

Jan smiled at that, and found she couldn't argue with him. "You're right. It is a big deal. Which is why I stopped on my way home and picked up a couple presents for our Miss Lucy."

At the word presents both Michael and Lucy perked up. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Jan grinned and got up, going to retrieve the bags she'd left in the entry way. She sat down on the couch beside Michael this time, and handed him one bag. He opened it and pulled out a set of party hats. "I thought if we're having a party, we'd need some hats."

"Awesome!" He held up one of the hats to Lucy. "Check it out, Luce." The dog barked her approval and Jan giggled. 

Next he pulled out a small white bag. "What's this?"

"It's a birthday cupcake for Lucy," Jan explained, "I bought it at that specialty pet store at the mall. I know she might have told you she wanted chocolate cake, but you really can't give her that, Michael. It honestly will make her sick. But she'll really like this too, and it's good for her."

"Wow, that's really cool Jan." He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. "So you do care."

"Of course I care, Michael. I know how much you love Lucy, I do too, and I really did feel badly I forgot her birthday. So, we've got the hats and the cupcake for her, and once Jim and Pam get here, we can give her the rest of her presents." Jan let him peek into the bag she was holding, which contained a Frisbee, a large bone, and some other new toys for her to play with.

Michael beamed. "She's gonna love those. You're gonna love your gifts, Lucy." Lucy barked happily.

"So, do you forgive me now?" Jan asked with a smile.

"Well…" Michael grinned, "I guess. On two conditions."

"Okay."

"One, you have to sing Happy Birthday to Lucy."

Jan grinned, knowing that the request was not so much for Lucy's benefit but for Michael's. He loved to hear her sing. "I think that's doable," and then before Michael could she added, "That's what she said," with a wink.

Michael laughed and kissed her while twisting the golden band on her left ring finger. "See, this is why I love you."

"I know," Jan grinned. "And the second condition?"

"You have to promise that you're not going to forget this Munchkin's first birthday," he said as his hands moved down to rest on her swollen abdomen. 

Jan let a full out smile grace her features. "I don't think that you'll have to worry about that, Michael."

"Yeah, well, I didn't think I was gonna have to worry about your forgetting Lucy's birthday but..."

Jan pulled him into a kiss that halted the rest of the sentence. "I promise that I'm not going to forget the Munchkin's first birthday. Nor will I forget any more of Lucy's birthdays either. Okay?"

"Okay," Michael grinned, kissing her again.

"Now, I do believe I just heard a car pull up, which means that it is time for Miss Lucy's party. Complete with hats, cupcakes, and pictures with me in. So, let's go party."

Lucy let out another happy bark and rushed toward the front door where Jim and Pam were now trying to enter. Michael went over to let them in, handing them party hats before they were even through the door. Pam grinned over at her, offering a small wave before pulling the hat on her head. Jim knelt down to pet Lucy with a grin. "Hey birthday pup. How are ya?"

Jan watched the scene with a smile. Never in her life had she ever considered herself a dog person. In fact, when Michael came home from a trip to the mall carrying the tiny fuzz ball in his arms, she had nearly kicked him out of the house, before remembering that it was in fact his house and not hers. But Michael loved Lucy and Lucy loved Michael, which meant there was really no room for argument. 

And after the first week or so, Jan found herself growing attached to the puppy, who seemed to have endless amounts of love to give, and loved to snuggle up and take naps with her. Now, although she had forgotten her birthday, Jan couldn't imagine her life without Lucy in it. She had gone from a single, corporate business woman focused only on her job, to a happily married woman well on her way to having the American dream of the house with the white picket fence, the dog, and the 2.7 kids. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

She was broken out of her reverie by Michael's voice. "Come on Buttercup, it's time for the cupcake." 

She smiled and climbed off the couch, heading to the kitchen where Michael, Jim, Pam, and Lucy were already congregated. Michael was holding the cupcake up where Lucy couldn't get it and Lucy was sitting at his feet, begging. "So, you ready for condition one?" Michael asked her.

She laughed and began singing. "Happy birthday to you," everyone joined in, "happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Lucy, happy birthday to you!" 

They ended by clapping for the puppy and Michael gave her the cupcake, which she truly did seem to enjoy. And as bizarre as this scene may have been to her, celebrating their dog's first birthday with Jim and Pam there for an impromptu party, Jan couldn't help but think that she couldn't wait to do it again for their baby's first birthday.


End file.
